East and Southeast Asian material culture in North America: collections, historical sites, and festivals

Abstract

The study of Asian immigration to the United States and Canada is a relatively new interest that emerged in the 1960s, a century after the major emigrations from China and Japan. Haseltine's directory is designed primarily to contribute to the study of Asian immigration, assimilation, and ethnic distinctiveness. The cultural groups Haseltine examines are Chinese, Japanese, Filipino, and Korean peoples, whose migration across the Pacific began in the mid- and late 1800s. In Chapter One, Haseltine lists objects, as well as photographic and historical records, maintained in museums and historical societies in the United States and Canada. Chapter Two lists sites bearing significance to the lives of Asian immigrants and reflects not only their settlement primarily in Hawaii, California, and British Columbia, but their diffusion and concentration in various cities and geographical areas. Chapter Three focuses on the ways artistic and material culture traditions are maintained in Asian festivals primarily on the West Coast of the United States and in Hawaii. This directory is an excellent resource for those interested in the immigration and culture of Asian-Americans and Asian-Canadians. The book is also an excellent resource for courses in Asian History in North America.